Members of Parliament have raised concern over the glaring underrepresentation of persons with disabilities (PWDs) in key State corporations, despite constitutional requirements mandating inclusivity.
The National Assembly Committee on National Cohesion and Equal Opportunity, chaired by Yussuf Adan Haji (Mandera North), expressed disappointment after reviewing diversity and inclusion data from four major State agencies. The session was held to assess compliance with Article 54(2) of the Constitution, which requires at least 5 per cent of public sector jobs to be reserved for PWDs.
Appearing before the committee were Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA) Director General Jackson Magondu, Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) Acting Director General Luka Kimeli, and Geothermal Development Company (GDC) Managing Director Paul Ngugi. Data presented showed that none of the agencies had met the threshold.
KeNHA recorded the highest inclusion rate, with 11 PWDs out of 474 staff (2.3 per cent). GDC followed with 20 out of 904 employees (2 per cent), while KeRRA trailed with only nine PWDs among 690 staff members (1.3 per cent).
“It is very sad that PWDs are still excluded from employment in key State agencies despite the Constitution clearly stipulating that 5 per cent of positions be set aside for them,” Haji lamented. “State bodies should lead by example. The Committee will not take it kindly if this marginalisation continues.”
Committee members pressed the officials for explanations, questioning the persistent gaps. The agency heads cited limited recent recruitments, high numbers of seconded staff from parent ministries, and a low number of qualified PWD applicants as key challenges.
However, the officials insisted they had implemented policies to encourage applications from PWDs and were committed to improving inclusivity in future hiring. They further suggested that Parliament consider legislation to enforce fixed quotas for PWD recruitment across the public sector.
The committee also used the session to evaluate ethnic diversity within the agencies and assess their compliance with the 30 per cent procurement reservation for special interest groups, including women, youth, and PWDs.
Lawmakers vowed to maintain pressure on State agencies to meet constitutional obligations and ensure equal opportunity for all Kenyans.
